Table Of ContentChomsky for Activists
Those who regard him as a “doom and gloom” critic
will find an unexpected Chomsky in these pages. Here
the world-renowned author speaks in depth for the
first time about his career in activism and his views on
strategy and tactics. Chomsky offers new and intimate
details about his life-long experience as an activist,
revealing him as a critic with deep convictions and
many surprising insights about movement strategies.
The book points to new directions for activists today,
including how the crises of the Coronavirus and the
economic meltdown shaped the critical presidential
election year and the organizing to come. Readers
will find hope and new pathways toward a sustain-
able, democratic world.
Noam Chomsky is one of the most cited scholars in
history and among the best known public intellectuals
in the world today. He is the author of more than 100
books; the most recent include Requiem for the American
Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth and
Power. Before coming to the University of A rizona as
Laureate Professor of Linguistics in 2017, Chomsky
taught linguistics and philosophy at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology for 50 years.
Charles Derber, Professor of Sociology at Boston
College is a noted public intellectual and author of
25 books, including several best-sellers reviewed in
The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston
Globe, and other prominent media. His recent books
include Welcome to the Revolution, Moving Bey ond Fear,
and Glorious Causes. Co-editor of the Routledge book
series Universalizing Resistance, Derber is a life-long ac-
tivist for peace and justice.
Suren Moodliar is editor of the journal Socialism and
Democracy and coordinator of encuentro5, a move-
ment-building space in Downtown Boston. He is a
co-author of A People’s Guide to Greater Boston.
Paul Shannon worked for the American Friends Ser-
vice Committee (AFSC) for 40 years where he ran the
national film library and was active in various peace,
union, prison reform, economic justice, and interna-
tional solidarity movements. Now retired, he serves as a
volunteer with the AFSC, teaches courses on the Viet-
nam war, writes, and continues his intersectional orga-
nizing around the Yemen war, the military industrial
complex, climate change, criminal justice issues, and
regime-change wars. He is a board member of Massa-
chusetts Peace Action and the Campaign for Peace, Dis-
armament and Common Security.
“It is heartening to hear Chomsky’s steady voice come
through these interviews and writings — radical, ana-
lytic, and prophetic. Chomsky for Activists is the tonic we
need in troubled times to peel away the illusions and fuel
our fight for democracy, justice and economic equality.”
Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy S tudies, author,
The Wealth Hoarders and Born on Third Base
“Some people get to know the thinking of Noam
Chomsky by listening to his presentations. But in this
book you, the reader, have the opportunity to get to
know the thinking of Chomsky in a different way.
Through interviews as well as his commentaries, the
reader gets a sense of the ‘comprehensive’ Chomsky. It
is not just what he thinks but how he approaches the
challenges facing the contemporary Left and progres-
sive movements in the USA that makes this a com-
pelling volume. This book is of additional value in
identifying where the reader may agree and disagree
with Chomsky, but nevertheless appreciate his invalu-
able insight. It was both a great honor and opportunity
to have been asked to preview this volume in order to
suggest to you, the potential reader, my encouragement
that you embrace this work. You will not regret it!”
Bill Fletcher, Jr., executive editor,
globalafricanworker.com, former president
of TransAfrica Forum
“Could you benefit from a wise elder putting this
present moment in historical perspective, explaining
the gravity of today’s existential crises but show-
ing how activism has—and can—change the course
of history for the better? Then curl up with Uncle
Noam to read Chomsky for Activists. Chomsky gives
simplistically brilliant answers to such questions as ‘Is
Trump a fascist?’ (his response might surprise you)
and ‘Should we change the Democratic Party from
within or create an independent party?’. Chomsky for
Activists is an uplifting gift for all of us who feel de-
pressed or confused about the state of our nation and
world. Read it and act.”
Medea Benjamin, Author and
Cofounder of CODEPINK
UNIVERSALIZING
RESISTANCE SERIES
Edited by Charles Derber and Suren Moodliar
The series is publishing works by leading thinkers and
activists developing the theory and practice of univer-
salizing resistance. The books are written to engage
professors, students, activists and organizers, and cit-
izens who recognize the desperate urgency of a uni-
versalizing resistance that can mobilize the general
population to build a new global society preserving
life with justice.
International or Extinction (2020)
Noam Chomsky
Chomsky for Activists (2020)
Noam Chomsky
Forthcoming:
Revolution Has an Address! The Transformative
Power of Movement Building Spaces
Suren Moodliar
For more information about this series, please
visit: https://www.routledge.com/ Uni ver sa li zing-
Resistance/book-series/RESIST
Chomsky for Activists
Noam Chomsky,
Charles Derber,
Suren Moodliar,
Paul Shannon
First published 2021
by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 Taylor & Francis
The right of Noam Chomsky, Charles Derber, Suren Moodliar, Paul
Shannon to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of
the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance
with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Chomsky, Noam, author. | Derber, Charles, author.
Title: Chomsky for activists / Noam Chomsky, Charles Derber, Suren
Moodliar, Paul Shannon.
Description: New York, NY: Routledge, 2021. |
Series: Universalizing resistance
Identifiers: LCCN 2020039030 | ISBN 9780367615864 (hardback) |
ISBN 9780367543396 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003105619 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Chomsky, Noam. | Social action—
United States. | Political participation—United States. | Political
activists—United States. |
United States—Politics and government.
Classification: LCC HN65 .C48 2021 | DDC 306.0973—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020039030
ISBN: 978-0-367-61586-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-54339-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-10561-9 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by codeMantra
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Introduction 1
PART 1
Reflections on a Life of Activism 11
1 How It All Got Started 13
NOAM CHOMSKY, CHARLES DERBER,
SUREN MOODLIAR, AND
PAUL SHANNON
2 Stories of Global Activism 42
NOAM CHOMSKY, CHARLES DERBER,
SUREN MOODLIAR, AND
PAUL SHANNON
PART 2
Movements Matter 63
3 Coming Together: Organizing for
Survival with Justice 65
NOAM CHOMSKY, CHARLES DERBER,
SUREN MOODLIAR, AND
PAUL SHANNON
